Part 2 of a series
by Bob Kennemer
CUCHARA — In part one of this series, it was learned that the volunteers behind the current park concessionaire, Panadero Ski Corp, had more than 125 years experience in the ski industry. Additionally, the members of that team are local and have a history with previous iterations of the park when it was a ski area.
PSC board and its volunteers have been ski patrollers, lift operators, lift mechanics, and on mountain work. Jeremy Golnik, is PSC’s only full time employee and is in charge of lift maintenance, grooming and snowmaking. Golnik has worked for several ski areas in Colorado and built the sled that is currently used to haul skiers up the hill, while the lift is being repaired. Rick Hodgson, currently is a contract lift maintenance worker, but will be transitioning to full-time employee once lift 4 is certified. Kevin Chapman is a lift maintenance volunteer.
“We want to ski!”
The above is a message heard loud and clear by the PSC team. Although the park is a year round operation, and PSC has plans for year round activities, the current focus is on winter sports and activities. Although some local residents still hold out hopes that the ski area could make a comeback, that is not part of PSC’s plan nor is it a part of the county’s plans. For now, and in the foreseeable future, lift serviced alpine skiing in Huerfano County will be limited to lift 4, located within the CMP boundaries.
Currently, the park also has XC skiing and snowshoeing trails, some within the park and others on the surrounding National Forest. Sledding is also available. Some heartier park visitors put climbing skins on their skis to hike uphill, out of the park onto the National Forest, and ski down.
A need for improved communications
Earlier this year, Lift 4 was damaged by the maintenance team during repair work. According to PSC Treasurer, Ken Clyton, the incident was reported (as required) to the Colorado Passenger Tramway Safety Board. There were no injuries involved. In retrospect, Clayton says, the incident should have been reported to the county commissioners. Once the commissioners learned of the incident, they issued a stop work order and called PSC personnel to meet with the commission.
Indeed meetings were held between the commissioners and PSC, with all agreeing that frequent updates and ongoing communications are crucial to PSC keeping its current status as park concessionaire. Additionally, the county wants a second expert opinion as to the condition of Lift 4 and its safety, plus a written sign off from the CPTSB. Both parties agreed to bring in Alpine Roosts Services, out of Evergreen, Colorado as a go between, between the county and PSC. PSC has also hired an engineering group, SCJ Alliance. The firm offers engineering, transportation planning and design, construction management, environmental & urban planning, landscape architecture & design, and public outreach services.
No rest for the weary
For now, with the stop work order still in place, work on other aspects of the park’s winter operations will continue. Existing snow guns have been made ready. Sixteen thousand feet of extra thick snow pipe has or is being installed to bring water to the snow guns. Additional snow guns have been obtained and are being installed. Grooming operations are ongoing. Below is a list of PSC finances from 10/31/2022 to 11/10/2023:
A total of $190,923.52 in donations:
• $22,000 funding from Huerfano County, used to purchase lift tower pads.
• In the past 12 months $162,687.52 in direct and indirect safety and capital improvements into Cuchara Mountain Park.
• Pending $250,000 OREC Grant for Chair 4 and snowmaking rehabilitation.
PSC is also looking to the future, while forging new relationships. Clayton would like to resurrect the former ski club at La Veta Schools. That effort could also include Walsenburg and Gardner Schools. PSC has been in discussions with the Leadville campus of Colorado Mountain College. That school has a program focusing on ski area operations. Looking ahead to year round activities, PSC wants to partner with the trail building program out of Trinidad State College. Clayton has a much longer list of organizations that he and the PSC board believe will only bolster their efforts to make skiing at CMP a reality and to improve the park overall.
Should CMP be under the wing of the Cuchara Foundation?
As if dealing with all of the aforementioned issues isn’t enough, a new idea has emerged; what if the County gave the park back to the Cuchara Foundation? Some readers will recall that it was the Cuchara Foundation that purchased, what is now CMP, from a private party several years ago. A professional study was done to solicit community input to help determine; what would the mountain park be? What activities could it support? How would the park be developed and managed? The Cuchara Foundation then oversaw the park for several years.
Ultimately, it was decided to turn CMP over to the County to be managed as a County Park. An advisory committee was formed to assist the County with implementing the community’s goals for the park. That advisory group ultimately gave way to the County’s long term management plan to seek out park concessionaires via an RFP process. Which is, in part, where things stand today. PSC has been given an extension by the county that runs through May of 2024.
Editor’s note: Part three in this series will focus on the pros and cons of returning Cuchara Mountain Park back to the Cuchara Foundation.
